AS A WOMAN, DON'T SPEAK FOR ME

As a woman, I stand for other women! I am a woman who is pro-women.

I spend my days empowering, motivating, encouraging and inspiring women, of all ages, as often as I can. It's something I love doing and probably something I will do for the rest of my existence. But I don't blame the world for my problems. I am an independent woman who succeeds and fails on her own. I do not want guarantees, I want opportunity. I live with my successes and my failures. And I don't blame men for things that happen in my life. Men are not the enemy, or the problem!

As a woman, I don't need attention by protesting and marching. And I certainly don't yell at people to be heard.

Do strong, empowered women really need a random day, in the year, to validate their independence? No.

Does acquiring a hashtag, referencing how strong you are, make you a tougher, better female? No.

Does protesting and marching to the words "I am woman, hear me roar" make you a stronger woman? No.

People, women in particular, excel at forming drama for unnecessary purposes. They set boundaries and push limits just enough to light a fire and ignite the force—fire enough to cause yet another protest.

So here we go again. My gosh at what point does this cease?

Skipping work, for a day, to march and complain because the world isn't what we want it to be, or screaming and shouting when we don’t get our way—does not constitute a strong woman—let alone send the right message to young girls.

A message of possibilities and what can be accomplished through hard work, perseverance and achieved goals, now that is something worth standing for. Validate your womanhood with work ethic. Persevere with pride. Achieve goals with merit. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, as a strong woman, without relying on a world full of strangers, a hashtag, or a day to validate you.

Because HARD WORKING ACTIONS, SPEAK LOUDER THAN SHOUTING AND SCREAMING WORDS.